There’s nothing better than when your meals are already made for the week! I hate thinking about what I want for dinner, especially when I’m past the point of stomach growling. Last week, I lived off of these loaded kale salads. I started thinking about all of my favorite salad toppings and headed to the grocery store to pick up the ingredients. I also had a busy week and wanted to make my dinner plans easier.

This salad did not disappoint, and it was even better after my evening walks! I loved knowing that dinner was ready whenever I wanted it. And if you’re not a fan of salad, the tangerine dressing may change your mind on that one! This salad has Brussels, sweet potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, goat cheese, tofu, cranberries, walnuts, white beans, and kale. Not only does it have almost every important food group, but it’s also pretty seasonal.

 Once it was time to make a salad, I added a little extra goat cheese, dressing, and avocadoes on top!

Questions for you!

1. What is your favorite salad topping?
2. What do you meal prep in the winter?
3. What are you having for dinner tonight?

Cranberry pecan salad is one of my weekly staples. I love keeping a massive batch of it in my refrigerator to eat with salads, crackers, sandwich bread, or sometimes straight out of the container with a spoon.  Chicken salad is great for taking on trips, packing it up for a picnic at the pool, or a late-night protein snack. I used to buy the Sonoma chicken salad at Whole Foods every week, but it started to get so pricy for how much of it we were eating. I decided to start making my own, and I’m so happy I did! I actually find this recipe to be a bit more flavorful and less “mayo-eeee.” Plus, Whole Foods starting putting whole grapes in theirs, and that just threw me off. Lately, we’ve been enjoying this cranberry pecan chicken salad on a fresh multigrain croissant from our local grocery store. Chicken salad on a croissant hits differently. This is a great recipe to step up your lunch game. 

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Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad

The most delicious and creamy cranberry chicken salad recipe served on a multigrain croissant with fresh arugula greens.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword healthy chicken salad recipe, chicken salad, multigrain croissants, chicken, shredded chicken, cranberry pecan chicken salad, dairy free, picnic, summer food, yum

Prep Time 15 minutes

Servings 7

Author Taralynn

Ingredients

• 3 Cups Cold Shredded Chicken (easiest with rotisserie)
• 1/2 Cup Light Mayonaise
• 1/2 Tbsp Honey
• 1 Tbsp Tahini
• 1 Tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/4 Tsp Black Pepper
• 1/2 Tsp Dillweed
• 1/4 Tsp Sea Salt
• 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Onion Powder
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Red Onion
• 3 Tbsp Chopped Celery
• 1/4 Cup Pecan Halves
• 1/4 Cup Dried Cranberries

Instructions

• Coat the three cups of shredded chicken with light mayonnaise, honey, tahini, and apple cider vinegar in a large bowl.
• Season the chicken with black pepper, dill weed, sea salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Give it a little taste test to see if it needs any extra seasoning.
• Fold in the chopped red onion, celery, pecan halves, and dried cranberries.
• Slice a multigrain croissant (or your choice of bread) in half and top it with 3/4th cup of the cranberry pecan chicken salad and a handful of fresh arugula or spinach.

 You can make the same recipe using tuna or even crushed chickpeas to make it vegan (swap the mayo for veganaise.) There are so many ways to make this recipe your own! And if you don’t like cranberries or pecans, try using chopped apples, sesame seeds, or dates. I hope you all enjoy this recipe! I can’t wait to have it all summer long.

Questions for you!

1. What is your favorite way to eat chicken salad?
2. Do you like summer picnics?
3. Favorite meal to have by the pool/beach?

I have meant to share this salad recipe with you all for a while now. It’s been so long that the flowers in the background of these pictures are now 5x the size! Many of you have asked about this recipe after seeing it posted on my Instagram stories. I’m excited to say that it’s finally on the blog for you! I’m not being overdramatic when I tell you that we’ve been eating this salad just about every night for the past two months. I make a huge jar of the salad dressing every two weeks, and we use it for marinating and on our salads. We have yet to get sick of it, and it just gets better each day! It’s the perfect salad dressing for summer with its seasonal citrus flavors and light hints of garlic and dill. I used the dressing the other night to toss my potatoes in before placing them into the oven, and it was absolutely delicious! I finished the roasted potatoes with goat cheese crumbles, a squeeze of lemon, and fresh dill.
You can change up this recipe each time you make it! I’ve made it with blood oranges, tangerines, navel oranges, and lemons. If you don’t want to go with citrus, you can use any fruit purée! I will try it out with peach next time, and you can also blend it with plain greek yogurt to make it creamy.

Whenever I make this dressing, I keep a small bowl of lettuce next to me to dip it into the dressing! I use it for my taste test to see if it needs any more garlic, salt, pepper, honey, etc. It’ll all depend on your preference! Some people like dressing on the saltier side, and some like it on the sweeter side. It’s up to you!

My parents and I have a trade-off deal. Each year, their backyard vegetable garden grows bigger and bigger! I make them a bottle of my dressing to go with their fresh vegetables, and they drop off all the extra vegetables and lettuce for us! I think it’s a pretty fair trade. They are going to help me do my own vegetable garden next year! 

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Blueberry Pecan Salad With a Honey Citrus Garlic Vinaigrette Dressing

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword salad, blueberry, citrus, summer, healthy eating, goat cheese, homemade, salad dressing, vinaigrette, dinner, vegetarian, healthy food, lunch

Ingredients

Honey Citrus Garlic Vinaigrette Dressing

• 1 Cup Avocado Oil or olive oil
• 3 Tbsps Red Wine Vinegar
• 1/3 Cup Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice or your choice of citrus fruit
• 3 Tbsps Honey or agave
• 1 Tsp Onion Powder
• 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 Tsp Dillweed
• 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
• 1/2 Tsp Sea Salt
• 1 Tsp Dried Parsley

Blueberry Pecan Salad

• 5 Cups Mixed Greens (baby kale, spring mix, kale, spinach, arugula)
• 1/3 Cup Broccoli Sprouts
• 2 Tbsps Goat Cheese
• 3 Tbsps Chopped Pecans
• 1/2 Medium Avocado Sliced
• 1/3 Cup Fresh Blueberries
• 3 Tbsps Honey Citrus Garlic Vinaigrette Dressing

Instructions

Honey Citrus Garlic Vinaigrette Dressing

• Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
• Give the dressing a taste test to see if it needs more seasonings or sweetness based on your preference.
• Store outside of the refrigerator (unless you're adding Greek Yogurt)

I hope you all try out this recipe and enjoy it as much as we do!

Questions for you!

1. Do you make your own salad dressing?
2. Do you grow any fruits or vegetables?
3. What is one salad topping you cannot live without?

I used to hate brussels sprouts, but then I tried them cooked the right way. Never trust a brussels sprout previously frozen or served to you boiled. Thank goodness I gave them another chance because now I’m obsessed. I love when they are super crispy. I have no self-control with these delicious vegetables. Today, I’m sharing one of my favorite ways to eat brussels sprouts! This recipe is super simple to make, and you get that fried taste without using any fryers.
You can get away without adding any sauce to these brussels sprouts because the crispiness is tasty on its own! And if you’re on a plant-based diet, you can substitute the honey for maple syrup. If you’re gluten-free, make sure to use a gluten-free soy sauce.

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Crispy Smashed Brussels Sprouts with a Honey Soy Sauce

This recipe will make you fall in love with brussels sprouts. They are easy to make and super crispy without using an air fryer.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword brussels sprouts, glutn-free, dairy-free, vegetables, baked veggies, dinner, easy recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Servings 5

Ingredients

• 4 Cups Brussels Sprouts
• 3 Tbsps Avocado Oil
• 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 Tsp Onion Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
• 1/4 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• 3 Tbsps Soy Sauce gluten-free soy sauce if making this recipe gluten-free
• 1 Tbsp Honey or maple syrup to keep recipe plant-based

Instructions

• Heat oven to 425-degrees
• Add the brussels sprouts to a pot of boiling water, and boil until they are fork-tender.
• Transfer the cooked brussels sprouts to a large mixing bowl. Coat them with avocado oil, garlic, powder, onion powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
• Use the bottom of a cup or your hands to smash the brussels sprouts. If you're having trouble smashing the brussels sprouts, try cutting them in half first.

  Add the smashed brussels sprouts to a baking sheet.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes (flipping them halfway is optional)
• Mix the soy sauce and honey. Drizzle the sauce over the baked brussels sprouts.

And did I eat that entire bowl by myself? You bet I did.

Questions for you!

1. What’s your favorite way to eat brussels sprouts?
2. Did you like brussels sprouts the first time you tried them?

The Ultimate Greek Salad with Seasoned Shrimp, Toasted Pecans, Crumbled Feta, Healthy Pitas & Fresh Vegetables! 
I have a lot of recipes that get lost in my recap blogs. I’ve decided to start dedicating more individual blogs to those recipes so they can be found easier when searching here! Today, I wanted to share a Greek salad recipe that we’ve been eating almost every night this past week. It’s so easy to make, you can customize it to fit your preferences or dietary needs, and it’s so fresh for the warmer months!

VIDEO: Ultimate Greek Salad with Seasoned Shrimp & Crumbled Feta

In the summer, I love having giant salads for dinner. I also like changing up the recipes, so I don’t get bored. I’ll usually eat one combo until I’ve had enough! Sometimes they are super fruity, and sometimes they’re on the savory side.

One of my favorite salads to make is a Greek salad. They are so tasty with seasoned shrimp, and I love how quick and easy shrimp is to make. I think this weekend; I’ll make these Greek salads for my parents with a side of Greek fries inspired by one of my favorite local restaurants. 

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Ultimate Greek Salad with Seasoned Shrimp & Crumbled Feta

Course Lunch, Dinner

Cuisine Greek

Keyword Greek Salad, Shrimp, Feta, Salad, Healthy Dinner, Pitas, Onion, Avocado, Tomatoes, Toasted Pecans

Servings 1 Salad

Author Taralynn

Ingredients

• 4-5 Cups Fresh Romaine Lettuce
• 2-3 Tbsps Greek Dressing Farmer Boy Brand
• 1 Medium Roma Tomato
• 2 Petite Cucumbers
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Red Bell Peppers
• 2 Tbsps Chopped Red onion
• 1/4 Cup Toasted Unsalted Pecans
• 1/4 Cup Crumbled Feta
• 1/2 Small Avocado
• 1 Whole Grain Pita I used the Joseph's pita bread with oat, flax & whole grain.
• 1 Cup Cooked Seasoned Shrimp Cooked the shrimp in a few tablespoons of the Greek dressing, dill and avocado oil.

Instructions

• Add a drizzle of avocado oil into a pan on high heat. Add in fresh shrimp, one tablespoon of Greek dressing, black pepper, and a splash of dill weed. Cook until the shrimp is pink and firm. Set aside.
• In a bowl, toss the lettuce with the Greek dressing.
• Top the lettuce with Roma tomato, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, toasted pecans, avocado slices, feta, pita bread, and seasoned shrimp!
• Toss & enjoy!

I hope you all enjoy this salad as much as we do!

Questions for you!

1. Would you like me to start making individual recipe posts for some of the recipes in my recaps?
2. What is your favorite combo during the summer?
3. What kind of protein do you like to add to your salads?

Does anyone else feel like the months are flying by? Summer parties and cookouts are just around the corner, so it’s time for me to start sharing some of my favorite go-to recipes. I have a few in my albums that I never shared and thought it might be a good time to get them up before summer kicks off!
This recipe was a bit of a tease for me this morning. I’m currently 38-weeks pregnant and have been staying away from the deli meats. You better believe this pasta salad will be on my list of recipes to make as soon as I have the baby. It’s like taking a charcuterie board to the next level! It has all of my favorite vegetables, seasonings, cheeses, meats, beans, and pasta is thrown into one bowl.

I had so many people asking for this recipe when I made it on the 4th of July! It is delicious, but look how pretty and refreshing it is for summer! You can customize this recipe in many ways. Change up the pasta, swap the cheeses, and use different vegetables or meats.

One of the best parts about this recipe is how easy and quick it is to make. There is no baking involved, and it’s a great last-minute option if you’re heading to a summer party or need a last-minute dish for a potluck.
 

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Ultimate Summer Pasta Salad

The easiest summer pasta salad to throw together!

Course Salad

Cuisine Italian

Keyword charcuterie, pasta salad, summer, potluck, salad, refreshing, no bake, party, appetizer, cheese

Prep Time 30 minutes

Servings 20

Author Taralynn

Ingredients

• 4-5 Cups Cooked Spiral Pasta you can use gluten-free!
• 1/4 Cup Italian Dressing I used Olive Garden's
• 1 1/2 Cups Diced Pepperoni
• 1 1/2 Cups Diced Salami
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley
• 1 1/2 Cup Cubed Cheddar Cheese
• 1 1/2 Cup Cubed Mozzarella Cheese
• 1 Small DicedRed Onion
• 2 Cups Sliced Grape Tomatoes
• 1 1/2 Cups Diced Cucumber
• 2 Cups Cannellini Beans
• 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
• 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Onion Salt
• 1 Tsp Honey

Instructions

• Toss all of the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and top with parsley.

  Add more Italian dressing if you you wish!
• Serve cold!

Questions for you!

1. Are you a fan of summer pasta salads?
2. Do you feel like the months are flying by?
3. What are you most excited about this summer?

It is officially salad season. The weekend farmer’s markets are filled with fresh produce, and the temps have me wanting all the light, refreshing foods. We packed up the stroller this past weekend and headed to the local farmers market before our pool day. We picked up local honey, kale, carrots, peppers, tomatoes, and farm-fresh eggs. I had been craving a giant kale salad for a while and decided I’d make a large one for the week on Sunday night.

I love keeping large salads and wraps in the fridge to eat throughout the week. This makes it much easier to eat when I’m hungry instead of having to chop vegetables and clean up the mess each time. I don’t have time for that anymore. I’m learning that food prepping is a great way to get meals in when you have a child. As soon as I try to eat, it’s like he knows!

I love using kale for meal prep salads because the leaves do not get soggy. They get tastier the longer they marinate in the salad dressing.

What Ingredients Should I add to a Kale Salad?

Chopped Kale
Salad Toppers | Cranberries, Blueberries, Almonds
Butternut Squash
Hard-Boiled Eggs
Cherry Tomatoes
Red Onion
Homemade Vinaigrette
Goat Cheese
Brussels Sprouts
Grilled Chicken

My other favorite salad ingredients are avocados, cucumber, roasted carrots, quinoa, strawberries, feta, croutons, and chickpeas.

Marinating Chicken Breast

One of our favorite ways to marinate chicken is with Greek Dressing and a few tablespoons of Mayonnaise. This makes the chicken so juicy and crispy on the outside!

Roasted Brussels sprouts & Butternut Squash

I coated the brussels sprouts and butternut squash with olive oil and baked them at 400 degrees for 25-minutes. 

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Grilled Chicken Chopped Kale Salad With Honey Dill Vinaigrette

Course Lunch, Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword kale, salad, tossed salad, chopped salad, grilled chicken, healthy eating, gluten-free, healthy diet, meal prepping

Prep Time 20 minutes

Servings 8

Author Taralynn

Ingredients

Chopped Kale Salad

• 14 Cups Kale Chopped
• 1/4 Cup Red Onion Finely Chopped
• 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes Chopped
• 2 Cups Roasted Butternut Squash
• 2 Cups Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• 1 Cup Salad Toppers dried berries and almonds
• 1/4 Cup Goat Cheese Crumbled
• 4 Cups Grilled Chicken Breast Sliced
• 8 Large Hard Boil Eggs

Honey Dill Vinaigrette

• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Honey
• 1/4 Tsp Black Pepper
• 1 Tsp Fresh Dill Weed or dried
• 1/4 Tsp Onion Powder
• 1/4 Tsp Garlic Powder

Instructions

Grilled Chicken Chopped Kale Salad With Honey Dill Vinaigrette

• Mix all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl
• Massage the chopped kale with the honey dill vinaigrette dressing in a large bowl.
• Add onions, tomatoes, goat cheese, salad toppers, brussels sprouts, and butternut squash to the bowl with the kale. Toss well.
• Top the salad with grilled chicken and hard-boiled eggs.

I put this large salad in a giant container for the week. It has been delicious and so easy for whenever I’m hungry. This has helped me make better food choices, especially during my postpartum weight loss journey. For example, I wanted pizza so bad last night after my workout. I probably would have caved in and ordered pizza if I didn’t have my prepped salad in the refrigerator. There’s nothing wrong with pizza, but I promised myself I’d eat healthier after having my son, and I’ve been doing well so far! I like saving my pizza nights for Friday to reward myself after a healthy week! 

Questions for you!

1. What is your favorite ingredient to pick up at the farmer’s market?
2. Do you prep food for the week?
3. What is one ingredient you have to have on your salads?

I love cold pasta salads. They are so fun to create and can be so versatile with the ingredients. You can customize them to make them gluten-free, plant-based, dairy-free, and even low-carb! I was sick of eating the same foods, so I made a few swaps to the grocery list this week. I made a big batch of this delicious kale and chickpea pasta salad with a honey basil vinaigrette, and it’s the yummiest quick and easy side to have with meals! I’m already looking forward to making another version of it this weekend.

We have enjoyed this pasta salad with grilled chicken, butternut squash soup, or just a quick snack in the afternoon! This pasta salad is filled with so many healthy ingredients, and I used chickpea pasta to make it even healthier! The basil vinaigrette is one of our favorites, and I make it weekly! I use pine nuts as a cheese substitute, and I love the nutty flavor it adds to the vinaigrette. We make this so much that I had to plant my basil in the house because I had to run to the store to purchase basil almost daily! The vinaigrette is good on salads, chicken, spaghetti squash, and so much more! 
 

Kale & Chickpea Pasta Ingredients

Banza Chickpea Pasta – Substitute with any pasta kind you’d like! I’ve made this pasta with a multi-grain bowtie. 
Purple Onion
Chickpeas – White northern beans are perfect as a substitute 
Kale
Cucumber
Tomatoes
Fresh Mozarella – Omit the mozzarella if you want to make this recipe plant-based.

Basil Vinaigrette Ingredients

Olive Oil – You can sub for avocado oil
Pinenuts – The pinenuts make the basil vinaigrette taste like parmesan. If you don’t want to use pinenuts, you can use almonds (pre-soaked in water) or parmesan cheese. 
Fresh Basil
Black Pepper
Sea Salt
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Honey – Or a sweetener of your choice
Lemon Juice

I love that you can keep this pasta salad in the fridge for a week, and it just gets better each day as it marinates in the honey basil vinaigrette! I love using kale because it never gets soggy like other lettuce. 

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Kale & Chickpea Pasta Salad with Honey Basil Vinaigrette

Delicious and easy recipe filled with healthy ingredients!

Course Appetizer, dinner, lunch,, Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword salad, gluten-free, dairy-free, healthy recipe, pasta salad, basil, salads, vinaigrette, easy recipes

Prep Time 30 minutes

Servings 20

Author Taralynn

Ingredients

Kale and Chickpea Pasta Salad

• 7 Cups Cooked Pasta I used chickpea pasta
• 1 Cup Grape Tomatoes Sliced
• 1 Cup Cucumbers Chopped
• 1/2 Small Red Onion Chopped
• 1 Cup Chickpeas Washed & Drained
• 1 1/2 Cup Fresh Mozzarella Chopped
• 7 Cups Fresh Kale Chopped

Honey Basil Vinaigrette

• 1 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Cup Pinenuts
• 2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice
• 2 Teaspoons Honey
• 1 Cup Fresh Basil Leaves
• 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 Tsp Onion Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Sea Salt
• 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper

Instructions

Honey Basil Vinaigrette

• Add olive oil, chickpeas, lemon juice, honey, black pepper, sea salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and basil to the blender. Blend on high for 30-seconds.

Kale and Chickpea Pasta Salad

• In a large bowl, mix the pasta, kale, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, and chickpeas together.
• Pour the honey basil vinaigrette on top, and coat well.
• Fold in the mozzarella, and season with extra black pepper.

Notes

Store in the refrigerator! 

I hope you try out this recipe and love it!  

Questions for you!

1. What is your favorite type of pasta?
2. Have you ever tried pumpkin pasta?

It is going to be 80 degrees on Thursday! That means salad season is back for me. As soon as the warm days arrive, I’m craving fresh vegetables and fruits. I am so excited to see all of my seedlings sprouting up, and I can hardly wait to transplant them into the garden beds next month. You better believe I’ll have all the fresh garden salads on the blog this summer. We dug up the garden area, added landscape fabric, edging, and added our new rocks around the garden beds. 
I made a delicious salad for Valentine’s Day last week, and It was so delicious! I’ve been hooked on it all week long. I was so excited to hop on here and share the recipe with you all. 

We enjoyed our salads with roasted potatoes and chicken cordon bleu. 
 
This salad has the best combination of ingredients.

WATCH RECIPE VIDEO BELOW

Balsamic Vinaigrette
Greek Vinaigrette
Cherry Tomatoes
Arugula
Goat Cheese
Peppered Salami
Gluten-Free Naan Bread
Red Onions
Balsamic Glaze
Honey Almonds

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Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese, Peppered Salami, & Balsamic Glaze

This salad is refreshing, filling, crunchy, and so full of flavor.

Course Lunch, Dinner

Keyword salad, healthy, lunch, dinner, fresh food, gluten-free, tomatoes, garden, salad ideas

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Taralynn McNitt

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Sliced Naan Bread Bfree gluten-free bread
• 10 Cups Arugula
• 2 Cups Chopped Kale
• 2 Tbsps Balsamic Vinaigrette
• 2 Tbsps Greek Vinaigrette
• 1/4 Cup Red Onion
• 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes
• 6 Oz Peppered Salami
• 1/4 Cup Goat Cheese
• 1/4 Cup Honey Roasted Almonds
• 1 Tbsp Balsamic Glaze

Instructions

• Toast the naan bread on the stovetop with olive oil.
• Toss arugula and kale with the balsamic and Greek vinaigrette.
• Top the salad with red onion, cherry tomatoes, peppered salami, goat cheese, and honey roasted almonds.
• Drizzle the balsamic glaze on top, and add the naan bread.
• Enjoy!

This salad is good when served with grilled chicken, steak, or salmon! 

I hope you enjoy this recipe! It’s time for me to lace up the shoes, and go enjoy this gorgeous 70-degree weather! 

Questions for you!

1. What is your favorite protein source to add to salad?
2. Do you crave more salads in the summer?

Chopped Italian Salad

This salad has been on my mind everyday for the past few weeks. It’s so quick and easy to make!

What all is in this delicious chopped Italian salad!

Radiatori Pasta (cold)
Cucumbers
Tomatoes
Chickpeas
Romaine Lettuce
Fresh Parmesan
Avocado
Pepperoni (This salad is good with added chicken, too!)
Sprinkle of Pepper!

What is the dressing?

1 Cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 packet of Zesty Italian Good Seasons

ENJOY!!!